Inevitable
by Fifistarfish1998
Summary: AU of what Ruby and Liam's lives could have been like in a perfect world. Kind of a continuation of the heart-wrenching scene at the end of book 1, but without the misery.
1. Virginia Beach

North Carolina in the summer is like being the the 7th ring of hell. If you're outside, that is. The inside of Harry's repair shop is cool, wonderfully air-conditioned. It's kind of sad knowing this is my last summer working here before I head off to Virginia University, but also funny considering how much I used to complain about labor during the summer.

Just then the door jangles as my mom comes into the store. "Hey, Hon. How's business today?"

"Well, I'm beginning to think heat wards off customers, because we haven't had any."

Mom beams, "Good."

"Good? How in any way is it that good?"

"Because I was trying to think of a reason for Harry to close shop early and I just found one. Now you can go home and pack."

I furrow my eyebrows, "Pack?"

"Oh yeah! Happy graduation, sweetie!"

I laugh, "Mom, I graduated two months ago."

"Yeah, but this is your belated present! You, me, Harry, Cole, and Claire are going up to Virginia Beach for the week!"

"Virginia Beach, huh? We haven't been there since Cole's graduation." Cole graduated three years ago.

"Which is exactly why we're going now. It's becoming a tradition. So, go home and pack already! I'll be back in a bit. We're leaving tomorrow."

"Do Cole and Claire know?" I gasp, dramatically. "Did you actually get Claire to keep a secret?"

Mom looks smug as she says, "Yup and they're packed already!"

"Okay, okay! I can take a hint. Bye, mom."

"Bye, Hon."

00000000000000000000

Oh, Virginia Beach. Slightly cooler than North Carolina, but still pretty hot. Our hotel overlooks the beach and, as of now, it looks pretty busy. Luckily, there are still plenty of things to do around town, rather than hanging around the beach for a week.

After I deposit my bags in the room Cole and I are sharing, I find mom and Harry and tell them I'm going to walk around town and grab some ice cream. Apparently, that's okay because Cole is asleep and Claire is desperately begging to go collect seashells, so we agree to meet back at the hotel at dinnertime.

And that's when I head off. Nothing had really changed around town. It's mostly small gift shops and mom and pop stores as far as the eye can see. It seems most people are down enjoying the sand and waves, so town isn't very busy. Which is why I'm surprised when I see the long line at the ice cream parlor.

The shop has a sign in the front window advertising the promise of thirty-one different flavors. But even so, the line seems a bit long. After standing in the line a good five minutes, I start to notice the customers are mostly teenage boys. A lot of teenage boys. Okay, now this is just strange. I understand ice cream is popular, but this is a bit extreme.

Finally, I make it inside the building and suddenly understand. Handing out ice cream at the front of the counter is possibly the most beautiful girl I have ever seen. She's about 5'4 and quite small with long, dark brown hair, pale skin, and cherry red lips. And her eyes- they are a magnificent pale green and framed by long, black lashes. Unlike anything I had ever seen.

Yeah, now I get it. Especially seeing every other guy flirt with her as she dispenses the frozen treats and gestures for the next customer. She almost seems oblivious to their passes. Her eyes flick up to what I think is mine, but really the clock over my head. She smiles to herself and pulls off her checkered apron, hanging it on the rack behind her, signaling the end of her shift. A boy steps forward and takes her place, as every boy in line groans, having missed their chances.

Most people leave, pushing me and the few others who stuck around up to the counter to finally order. But I no longer want ice cream.

0000000000

The next day I walk through town, trying to catch a glimpse of the ice cream parlor to see if she is there, but am apparently out of luck. And just as I'm about to return to the hotel, she exits a small store off to the side and she's even more beautiful than she was yesterday, if that's possible. She has a bottle of water in one hand and a book in the other and just as I build up my courage to go and talk to her, I notice the headphones in her ears, blasting music and chicken out. She walks past me without looking up and heads off in the opposite direction. And that's the last time I see her for four days.

**A/N: **

**I think this was the first FanFic I ever wrote, so it's not the best. But I hope you enjoy it! **


	2. The Girl

"Liam, it's official. You are horrible at sports," says Harry as the volleyball plants itself at my feet.

"Harry, I realize my skills are intimidating, but there is no need for lies," I say as Harry snorts.

"You're right. I'm sorry, Mr. Olympic God."

"I guess you are forgiven."

I pass the ball back to him and when he spikes it to my side, I don't even try to catch it, because at that moment, I see her. She takes a seat on a beach lounger across from Harry, a good fifteen feet away, with a book.

Today she is wearing a light green dress, that I know is the same color as her eyes, because even though they are concealed behind big, white framed glasses, the image of them is burned into my memory. Enchanting enough to make Aphrodite gasp.

"Hello? Liam?" Harry waves his arms, trying to get my attention.

"Yes?" I ask, retreating from my daze.

"Um, the ball? You know, the one we're using in our game?"

"Oh, yeah. Sorry." I pick up the ball, and hoping to catch the girl's attention, and spike the ball hard through the air.

Right into her face. My jaw drops. Harry's jaw drops. The girl's glasses fall off her face and she gasps.

I run over to her, "Oh my god! Oh god! Are you alright? I am so sorry!"

She looks livid and a bit shocked, "It's fine. I'm alright."

"Are you sure? Can you walk? I can carry you over to the lifeguard. I'm sure they have a first aid kit. God! I'm so, so sorry!"

"I do not need to be carried. I'm fine, trust me," she snaps.

"Oh. Okay. I really am sorry though, can I at least buy you something to drink or something?"

"I don't even know your name."

"Oh! Sorry! My name is Liam Stewart," I grin and shoot out my hand for her to shake.

Her lips tug up slightly, almost unnoticeably and takes my hand. "Ruby Daly. So Liam, where are you taking me?"

What?

"What?"

"You said you were going to buy me a drink, so where are we going?"

"Oh, yeah. Um, do you want to go to that little diner down the block?"

She- Ruby smiles. "Sure." She gathers up her book and glasses and I wave a small goodbye to Harry, who looks absolutely shocked, with his mouth agape.

**A/N:**

**Wow! Thank you for the reviews! I wasn't sure anyone would read this. I hope it's living up to expectations! I should be updating this pretty regularly because I already have quite a few chapters written out, so I hope you enjoy and this helps with the wait for In the Afterlight.**


	3. Ruby

"So, Ruby, do you live around here?"

"Yeah. I actually work part time at the ice cream parlor down the street." She pauses. "How about you? You look a little familiar."

I laugh, "I was in the ice cream parlor about a week ago. I guess you must have seen me then. Anyway, no, I'm from North Carolina. I'm here with my family as a graduation present. We're actually leaving tomorrow." I didn't realize we were leaving so soon.

Now, I really don't want to.

She nods, eyes downcast, "Graduation present, huh? So you're eighteen?"

I shake my head, "Seventeen. How about you?" She looks slightly younger than me.

"I'm sixteen. I'm studying for my SAT's right now," she laughs. "It's absolutely horrible!" She takes a sip of her soda.

I laugh too. "They certainly aren't fun. I wouldn't worry about it. If you're half as smart as you look, you'll ace them."

"You barely know me!" she exclaims.

"Exactly. In the ten minutes I've known you, I have already determined you are a genius. A quiet genius," I smile and pause, continuing softly. "I'd like to change that, if that's okay with you."

Ruby smiles, "What? Turn me into a loud genius?"

I snort. "Well, now I _really_ want to get to know you better."

She stares back at me, green eyes gleaming. She reaches for a napkin. "Do you have a pen?" she asks.

I give her a confused look, "Just a sec," I say as I run to the counter and ask for a pen. When the waitress hands me one, I rush back and pass it off to Ruby. She writes down her name and a number in neat, meticulous writing. I gape as I realize that it's her phone number. Impossible.

"Well, Liam, I don't want to keep you from your family for too long," she stands up and smiles, "but it was nice meeting you."

She hands me the napkin and walks away.

And I realize I am literally the luckiest person in the world.

**A/N: **

**Okay. You guys are seriously awesome. Thank you so much for the reviews! Here's chapter three. Short and fluffy. I hope you enjoyed it! Now, I'm going to bed, because I have to wake up super early to go for a run before school. Fun. Anyway, I would love any reviews and thank you for reading!**


	4. The Call

To say that I have no self control is an insult. I waited a day, an _entire_ day, to call Ruby.

Riiiiiing Riiiiiiing Riiiiiiiing

"Hello?" a voice answers on the beginning of the fourth ring.

"Hi, Ruby. This is Liam. You know, I hit you in the face with a volleyball." Wow, this was a great start.

"Yes, I remember," she says with a laugh in her voice, "Hi, Liam."

"Hi."

"You said that already," she whispers jokingly.

"God, I know. I'm sorry. I had a whole plan. I was going to call and completely woo you and it was going to be smooth. Effortlessly smooth, seriously."

Ruby laughs,"It's not too late, I am still willing to be wooed."

I laugh too, "Are you busy?"

"Nope. Totally free. I was just reading."

I sit up straighter, "Oh, really? What are you reading?"

"Watership Down. It's my favorite. Have you read it?"

"Yes, actually. We read it in school last year, it was really good." At least she named one I have actually read. That could have been embarrassing.

"Cool," she says. "So, what do you like to do?"

"Oh, um, well I like to read and play video games. You've obviously seen my skill set in sports."

"Like an olympic god," she says, laughing.

"That's what I said! See, you get it." This girl is amazing. Who else would say that?

"Honestly, I thought that was just how you picked up unsuspecting girls. You know, the old stage an injury and 'help' them. I just figured you got the whole, who is supposed to get injured part mixed up."

"Hey, that plan has yet to fail me on the one girl I've tried it on."

"Well, aren't I lucky?" She is really laughing now and my smile is plastered to my face.

"Immensely." We laugh together for a moment before the line goes quiet.

I clear my throat, "So, uh, what do you like to do?"

"Um, obviously as you know, I like to read. I also like to listen to music."

"What kind of music do you like?" This was really the moment of truth. You could tell a lot about a person by the type of music they listened to.

"Mostly classic rock. The Rolling Stones, Skynyrd Lynyrd, Led Zepplin. This probably sounds horribly cliche."

I swallow. I wasn't expecting that. "No, no, no. I love all those too. You can't help you have good taste in music." She starts laughing again.

"So, um-"

"Hold on a sec, Liam," I hear her move the phone away and shout. "What, mom? Okay just a minute." She comes back to the line, "Sorry, Liam my mom's calling I have to go."

"Okay. Can I call you later?"

Ruby's is silent for a moment, "Yeah, definitely."

I grin ear to ear, "Bye, Ruby."

"Bye, Liam." Then the phone goes dead and I'm left sitting in a daze. What a girl.

**A/N:**

**Wow, that felt horribly cliche. I'm sorry. It's so incredibly awkward. Honestly, I can't believe people are reading this. I thought it was horrible, but I'm glad you're enjoying it. Thank you for the reviews, favorites, and follows.**


	5. Charles

I called Ruby every day for two weeks, managing to grow a substantial friendship. We were so much alike and somehow, our differences made us grow closer, not apart. Ruby was smart and sweet and caring and beautiful and- There just wasn't enough words to describe her.

She was every bit the human being I had ever wanted to be and she made me feel like I was. She had the ability to make my life better, simply by calling me. She was my closest friend.

As of this morning, I was going to be meeting up with her. I had to go to Virginia to check out my dorm room and meet my roommate, and when I had told Ruby, she insisted I stop by her house to have dinner with her family.

That's where I was right now; driving to my new school. The school board said that my roommate was someone named Charles. I wonder if that's the name he goes by, because if he does, he's definitely getting a nickname.

As for the school, I've only seen it once. It seemed nice enough and they accepted me without hesitation. Their curriculum was actually really good, not that I'm picky. I have reasonable grades consisting of mostly A's and B's with the occasional bad grade.

As the building comes into view, I immediately feel comfort. This is my new home. This is the place I'll be for the next four years, the place where I will meet my new family. It's a weird but ultimately consoling feeling to leaving home.

The building is huge and squat center in a rich, green, freshly mowed lawn. The parking lot is filled with cars and teeming with new, anxiety filled young adults. Are they all here for orientation? Wow. At least I'm not alone.

After the faculty gives us all a very long and mind numbing presentation about their expectations of us and all the perks our new school supplies, we are finally escorted to the dorm wing and given our room numbers.

As expected, my room is tiny. There are two twin beds and two small dressers crammed into the space of a few elevator interiors. It's perfect.

"Who are you?" a cocky voice asks from the doorway.

I turn to find a lanky guy with dark skin and glasses watching me with an annoyed expression.

I smile and hold out a hand, "Hi, I'm Liam. This is my dorm. Are you by any chance my roommate?"

The guy rolls his eyes and his hand doesn't raise an inch, "Obviously."

Well Charles is sure a big ball of sunshine. I wonder where his swarming army of friends are, because surely there are many. My hand drops to my side. This semester is going to be fun.

**A/N: **

**I'm back! Sorry this update took so long, but I'm all better now and I have worked out a new update schedule. Because I am currently updating two other fanfiction stories and three on fictionpress, this story will be updated every Monday. **

**Thank you all for being awesome and understanding for my absence. I really appreciate it. And thank you for all the reviews! It makes me really happy to know someone enjoys my writing. I hope you enjoyed this chapter and don't worry, the next one will feature Ruby. :-D**


	6. Meet the Family

Ruby's house is average, but still incredibly homey and inviting. It is a one story house with pale yellow, vinyl siding and a small garage off to the side. The yard is bright green with purple flowers randomly popping up in clusters. I smile to myself. I'm finally going to see Ruby again.

I walk to the front door and raise my hand to knock but before I can, it swings open, revealing a middle aged woman who looks like an older Ruby. Well, except for the eyes. Instead of the vibrant green eyes that are permanently engraved in my memory, this woman's eyes are a dark blue. Lovely, but not what I was hoping for.

The woman reaches out her hand. "Hello, you must be Liam," she says with a smile.

I return the expression, holding out my hand to meet hers, "Yes, ma'am. And you must be Mrs. Daly. It's very nice to finally meet you."

Her smile widens, revealing bright white teeth. "Well, come on in, Liam. Ruby will be excited to know you're here." She steps back to allow me through the door and leads me to a living room. "Just wait here one moment."

As she walks away, I look around. There are picture frames everywhere; on the fireplace mantel, on the coffee tables, and even hanging from the walls. Seeing them helps me to determine one thing for certain; this is a truly happy family. Every picture holds memories I hope one day will be recollected to me.

"Hi, Liam," a voice I've come to know well over the past couple months says, as I'm smiling at a small Ruby missing her two front teeth. I turn and see that she's just as beautiful as the last time I saw her.; maybe even more so. She's wearing dark blue shorts with cuffs on the bottom and a red t-shirt, while her brown hair cascades down her shoulders in perfect waves. And then my eyes meet hers and I smile.

"Hi, Ruby," I say softly.

"Come on. Dinner's ready," she says gesturing for me to follow her into the dining room.

"What about your dad?" I ask.

The corner of Ruby's mouth twitches, "He had to go to work. Emergency."

Oh. I mentally slap myself. "That's okay," I say, trying to fix her mood, "I guess I'll meet him next time."

She smiles at the mention of next time, knowing herself that there will be.

* * *

After the amazing dinner that Mrs. Daly cooked, Ruby gives me a tour of the house which ultimately ends in her room. And honestly, her room is kind of awesome. Not that I didn't expect as much, but it was still a little bit of a shock.

Her walls are a cream color and plastered with rock posters. A queen size bed sits in the corner covered in a dark blue duvet with a night stand beside it, holding a lamp. Multiple bookcases are shoved against the walls, the home for hundreds of books. Her room is incredible.

"Wow," I say, voicing my surprise.

Ruby laughs, "Thanks. I think it suits me."

"Definitely."

She moves to the edge of her bed and motions for me to sit next to her. Our shoulders press together as we smile at each other.

"I've got to get going soon," I say.

Ruby's expression falls, "Oh, okay."

I don't want to leave her like this. She looks sad and I don't ever want her to be. The world shines brighter when she's happy. So, I ask, "When can I see you again?"

Her eyes lift to mine suddenly. "When will you be coming down again?"

"I'll be moving into my dorm soon. I can stop here around then and, maybe, you can visit me?"

She smiles brightly, "I would love that."

And that's the breaking point. Her smile is too perfect.

I lean forward and gently press my lips to hers. When I pull back I watch her and expect her to tell me to leave. But she didn't pull away. And she isn't telling me to leave now. Slowly, a smile spreads across her face, mirroring mine exactly. This is the start of something great.

* * *

**A/N: **

**Aw, young love, I have yet to experience you. :-) I'm sorry this a day late. I was really into a book yesterday (Grave Mercy) and before I knew it, I was falling asleep. But, the good news is that I'm about to write out the rest of this story and it should be ending either, the end of May or possibly June. We'll see. Anyway, please let me know what you thought and if this is living up to expectations. See you next week!**


	7. Moving In

It's been two weeks since I've seen Ruby last. And it has been absolute torture. Especially since the last time I saw her happened to be the first time I kissed her. Sure we have had phone conversations and Skype has certainly made life easier, but seeing her in real life, in living color, well, nothing could make me happier. And luckily, I get to see her today.

Today is the day I move into my dorm. So, after I get settled, Ruby is supposed to meet me at the school and we will go out for lunch. Every time I think about her, which is often, I can't help but smile. My heart steps into an unsteady beat every time she laughs and my mood deflates each time we say goodnight.

And it's so obvious why, to me and everyone else in a fifty mile radius. I am totally, unconditionally, one hundred percent infatuated with this girl. My brother and sister see it and tease me relentlessly, my parents see it as they smirk and laugh quietly, and I can feel it. Ruby has dominated my thoughts and I can't bring myself to care, instead I welcome the distraction with a beaming smile.

I really don't have that much to unpack since I knew how small the room was. I only brought clothes, a bed comforter, a lamp, and a few small things that will make the room feel like mine. All the rest of my stuff I either sold or left at my parent's house.

Walking from my car, parked all the way at the the other side of the school in one of the only remaining parking spots, and walking back up to my dorm multiple times, while dodging nervous teenagers is the difficult part. It's a very long process. And when I make my way to the room for the third time, I meet an unwelcome surprise.

"Hello, Charles," I say, maneuvering around him.

He looks around the room critically, "Make sure you stay on your side. I don't want any overlap."

I laugh. He's like a stern teacher, not an eighteen year old college student. "Yes, sir," I reply with a smile and he rolls his eyes.

We unpack together in silence on our separate sides of the room. I'm just about finished when my phone goes off. It's Ruby.

"Hello," I greet her. I see Charles' eyes flick over to me from my peripheral vision.

"Hi, Liam. I'm in the parking lot right now. Which dorm did you say was yours?"

"I glance at the door to be sure and say, "Room 114."

"Okay." She pauses, assumably looking around for the right building. "Alright, I'll be there in a minute. Bye."

"Bye."

Charles is trying so hard to act like he isn't eavesdropping and it's hilarious because it's so obvious that he is. I smirk, turning back to my belongings.

Ruby finds the room in a few short minutes. She smiles when she sees me and I walk over to meet her. I duck down and gently kiss her. "Hi, Darlin'.

Ruby laughs softly, "Hello to you too."

Charles groans, "Great. You have a girlfriend?"

I smile proudly, "I thought the 'Darlin' and kiss were indication enough but, yes, she is my girlfriend." I grab Ruby's hand and draw her further into the room. "Charles, this is Ruby. Ruby, this is Charles."

"Nice to meet you," Ruby says.

"Listen," Charles says, head in hand, "As long as I don't come home to a locked door or you two making out, I really couldn't care less."

Ruby turns to me with a confused look and I shrug. "Okay," she says slowly. "Are you ready?" She asks me with a hopeful expression.

I nod eagerly, "Let's go." And with that, we leave Mr. Charles Meriwhether to his own devices.

* * *

**A/N:**

**I am a girl, so I really have no idea why I'm writing this from Liam's POV, but it certainly makes things difficult. That's part of the reason the writing is so clunky and not very descriptive or well articulated. I promise my other main story Those That Stay is better. Anyway, next week will most likely be the last chapter. I hope you enjoyed and please review!**


	8. Epilogue

This year has been possibly the greatest 365 days of my life. This was the year all of my doors opened up. My girlfriend, Ruby, finally graduated, leaving her more available to me. She finally has free time and now that finals are over, so do I. We see each other weekly, and come this fall, we will be moving in together. We will be starting our life together.

College has become manageable, finally. When I first started, I was so sure I would fail, but with the help of the library and heavily caffeinated coffee, things have became easier.

After much prodding, my roommate finally doesn't want me to die. When I look at him, I no longer see hate, but rather annoyance. I think it helped that I found an old photo of him and his family that he had kept hidden. And it was completely understandable. As it turned out, my skinny and ill-tempered soon-to-be friend had formerly been a very, very chubby little boy. That picture may have been the origins of his affectionately picked nickname, Chubs; much to the boy's chagrin.

He had even warmed up to Ruby, who he teasingly labeled 'moron'. Once they had gotten to know each other, they had actually become good friends, realizing they had more in common than they had initially thought. Though they never said it, you could tell that they really cared about each other. I have really started to form a family.

Although Ruby had finished school, she had soon gotten a summer job. After having retired from the ice cream parlor in which we met, she had taken up tutoring. Her newest and most beloved student was a small, twelve year old girl, named Suzume. Or, as she liked to be called, Zu.

Things are finally starting to come together. Thinking back, this year seems unreal. When I evaluate what happened I can't help but laugh joyously at the twist of fate that made my life so much better.

It all started with a late graduation present to Virginia Beach, where I hit the girl of my dreams in the face with a volleyball. For one reason or another, this girl decided I was worth her time and I'm immensely happy she thought so. I'm positive she is the only girl I could ever love. Every time I see her I am constantly reminded how lucky I got.

Since Ruby came into my life, things have seemed brighter. I don't think it's because we're soul mates or anything along those lines, but rather that we're best friends who love to be together. No matter what the circumstances, I don't believe we were meant to be together; we were and are, inevitable.

* * *

**A/N:**

**Oh. My first multi-chapter story is finished. I want to cry a little bit. I really hope you enjoyed this story and I appreciate all of the reviews. They positively made my week. I tried to make this story happy opposed to the amazing but heart wrenching books, but interestingly enough, there is a better, more in-depth version of this fic. It is better written and isn't all sunshine and rainbows. If anyone is interested I could definitely start posting it. But only if that's something that you would like to read. Let me know! **

**Delray: Yes, that is the book Chubs read. Ruby also referenced it quite a few times throughout The Darkest Minds. It's really good too. You should check it out!**


	9. Author's Note

**A/N:**

Okay, let me just start off by saying I'm _so_ sorry. I'm unfortunatley going to have to cancel the release of Unlikely Faces. I'm sorry, but I'm just too busy and the story isn't turning out the way I would of liked. Maybe in the future I'll try it out again but at this time, Inevitable will be on its own. Again, I apologize for the disappointment I've caused, but I just don't have the time. I have concerts coming up and deadlines and my schedule is just too cramped. I appreciate all of the reviews and favorites for Inevitable and I sincerely hope you enjoyed that story. I'm sorry for making a promise that I couldn't keep, but thank you again for reading


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